Experienced Performer
April 01, 2005 02:27 PM | General
April 1, 2005
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University senior safety Jahmile Addae has seen many good players come and go. That’s why he’s not too concerned about the Mountaineers having to replace standouts like Pac-Man Jones, Rasheed Marshall, Chris Henry and Kay-Jay Harris this spring.
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| Safety Jahmile Addae ranked fifth on the team in tackles in 2004 with 59 while also intercepting two passes.
Brent Kepner photo |
“You lose guys every year,” he said. “We lost Pac-Man and obviously that’s a big loss. Everybody is up to the task of filling that spot and it’s just a matter of who’s going to do it.”
Addae says competition is keen for several spots on the defensive side of the ball.
“There are a lot of guys fighting for jobs and making their presence known,” he said. “It’s good to have competition and those spots will be filled by the time Syracuse comes around.”
Addae has been impressed with what younger players like Antonio Lewis, Larry Williams, Vaughn Rivers have brought to the table in the secondary so far.
“I’m not just saying this because I’m a defensive back but you can stand back and see that every young defensive back can make plays,” said Addae. “From the bottom all the way up. That is probably the tension spot on the team not because we’re depleted but because we have so much (depth).”
One player who is beginning to separate himself from the pack is senior Dee McCann – the favorite to take Jones’ spot at corner. Midway through last year McCann began seeing more action and that has carried over into the spring. McCann’s play has certainly caught Addae’s eye.
“His test numbers were just crazy – probably just as good as Pac-Man’s,” said Addae. “He’s real physical. We’ve got Anthony Mims back who played great during the second half of the year last year. Antonio (Lewis) is playing the best ball I’ve seen a young guy play so far, Larry Williams … I can go on and on.”
Addae cautions that working their way up the depth chart isn’t just about having talent.
“It’s not really about being athletes but it’s about taking coaching and the best one is going to be the guy that takes coaching the best,” he said. “We’ll see who takes the coaching the best at the end of the spring and I won’t have to answer anymore questions.”
The Valerico, Fla., also gets testy when the point is made that the defense might have to hold things down until the offense can get on its feet with its group of young quarterbacks.
“We’re a team. To say the offense or the defense is behind – we’re only as good as they are. If they’re behind we’re behind and if we’re behind we’re behind,” Addae said. “Obviously the defense has more returners and didn’t lose as much but the same thing goes on offense: guys are willing to fill those spots that are vacant. We’ve got good competition going on both sides of the ball and that will make us a better team.”
Addae has been pleased with the way the defense has molded together so far this spring.
“Our defense looks really good,” he admitted. “What you see and what it is might not be the deal. We’ve just got to work to get better every day. We’re getting better and with time we’ll be alright.”
Even though the defense must find replacements for Jones, linebackers Adam Lehnortt and Scott Gyorko, safety Lawrence Audena, and defensive linemen Ben Lynch and Jason Hardee, Addae says there are plenty of solid players to plug in those gaps.
“I think we do have some guys that can fill spots and make it better,” he said. “Are we better now? No. But will we be? I think our coaches are doing a good job of putting us in positions to make plays and I think we’re doing some things that are different. I’d say from a coaching standpoint there are going to be some things that are different to allow us to make more plays. As far as personnel goes it’s hard to tell at this point.”
One thing is for certain: West Virginia is not going to be on the cover of every magazine like it was last year. And that suits Addae just fine.
“I love it. Anytime you can sneak up on somebody when you play you’ve got to love it. When you’re the top dog there’s a lot of pressure on you. There is no pressure on us,” he said.
Because the team has shared the Big East title for the past two years and contended for the title the last three, the 6-foot, 205-pound safety says there is a locker room full of players carrying chips on their shoulders.
“Nobody really believes in us and thinks we’re going to do as well as we did last year. It’s always about proving people wrong and we’ve been proving people wrong since I’ve gotten here. Nothing is going to change in Morgantown,” he said.
Personally, Addae is looking to build upon a very solid junior season in 2004 when he ranked fifth on the team in tackles with 59 and also picked off two passes.
“I started out great and last year I thought I had a pretty good season,” he said. “This year I’m primed and ready to have an even better one. Over the years I can see myself getting better but I never want to settle or get comfortable with where I’m at.”
Because he is now a senior, Addae is more likely to speak up when something is on his mind. He says that wasn’t necessarily the case when he was a younger player.
“Any time it’s your last go-around you make sure all the guys are lined up straight and everything is fine-tuned and well prepared,” he said. “If I have to push a young guy I’ll do a little bit more of that than I would have done in the past. It’s sad that it had to be that way and I wish I would have taken a leadership role a littler earlier in my career now and I’m definitely doing that now.”
Addae’s experience will be invaluable to a secondary hungry for leadership.
“Any time you’ve played as long as I’ve played you can pass down things to the younger guys and the guys that haven’t played as much,” Addae said. “It’s just them willing to take it from me. I think they respect me as a leader and I’m hoping when they get out onto the field that they don’t forget what I’ve told them.”
He admits he has come a long way from his very first game in the Orange Bowl facing No. 1-ranked Miami as a true freshman back in 2001.
“I’ve always been taught to return favors that have been done for me and those guys really looked after me that day. When I say looked after me they basically lined me up and told me you’re going to do this on every play,” Addae said. “When you’re out there and you’re feeling like a chicken with your head cut off and you’re younger than the rest of the guys you’re uncomfortable. Every time an older guy can say something to you or help you out that’s definitely a plus and something I try and do.”
Because this year is his last season coming up, Addae wants to maintain the tradition of playing good, exciting football the Mountaineer fans have come to expect and appreciate.
“The good thing is that we have fans that don’t care whether we’re leaders or not -- they just want us to win and that’s what we’re trying to do. Nothing else matters,” he said. “On Saturdays we like to put on a good show. This is my last go-around and I did some big things last year and I’m definitely trying to top that.”
